The Mountain of Ice and Fire

The next day, Eddard Stark, leading two guards, crossed the long bridge from east to west, arriving at the bridgehead on the west end.

At the archway of the bridgehead, caltrops were already arranged. The caltrop formation was several meters wide, densely packed, blocking the passage. Behind the caltrop formation was a deep trench, about two meters wide, which warhorses could not leap over.

Behind the trench, lancer soldiers patrolled. On the left and right sides were military camps, where mounted archers and sword-and-shield soldiers practiced formations and offensive and defensive maneuvers.

Eddard shouted, "Soldiers, I am Eddard Stark, also the vanguard commander of King Gregor, please remove the caltrops and set up the wooden bridge. I want to go into the city to see the Archon."

At the bridgehead, only four soldiers were on guard.

The leading soldier said, "Lord Eddard, the Archon has ordered that until a reply is received from King Gregor, the Archon will not meet you, nor will we surrender to you."

Eddard said, "Has the Archon sent a letter to King Gregor?

"Yes, my lord. That is the information we have received. The Archon has written a letter to His Majesty and sent it out last night. We must wait for the King's orders to arrive. The Archon will resolutely execute the King's orders. Please return, my lord."

"Very well, please inform your Archon that I have also sent letters to His Majesty. I will wait in the East City for His Majesty's reply and then execute His Majesty's orders."

"Yes, my lord, I will relay your words to the Archon."

Eddard Stark had the strength to conquer the Black Walls opposite, but he decided to wait for the King's reply. Eddard did not want to see the situation where every place he went was turned into ruins, and neither did the Mountain. A common problem among conquerors is that they like to devastate the conquered areas, but this is not in line with true interests. If you come to be the master, then what you destroy is your own property. If it is for plunder, then that is another matter.

The Mountain wanted to rule Essos, just like ruling Westeros. When a place is conquered, you cannot treat yourself as a visitor anymore; you must have the mentality of an owner. If not, then you are not a true ruler, but a slaughterer.

The Mountain discussed his thoughts with Eddard Stark in detail. After fully understanding the Mountain's intentions, Eddard was convinced by the Mountain. This was also the reason why he led a powerful fleet but did not first attack the West City. The West City was the most prosperous place, where the nobles lived. It had tall and strong Black Walls. Cannons could knock down the walls, but after knocking them down, they would have to be rebuilt, so a cannon assault was not a good idea. The East City was the residence of slaves, artisans, and free people. It had no walls, no military defenses, and no legions. Eddard took the East City of Volantis without losing a single soldier. After he announced the abolition of slavery in Volantis, he won the hearts of the slaves and commoners of the East City.

He represented the arrival of the King and Queen. In Volantis, slaves and commoners alike looked forward to the Dragon Mother. The Dragon Mother had great prestige in the Nine Free Cities, especially in the slave-holding Volantis's East City, where the slaves hoped that the liberator of slaves would arrive soon.

Duke Eddard Stark, who was extremely popular and loved in the East City, became the most unpopular person in the eyes of the nobles in the West City.

After being turned away, Eddard Stark had no choice but to return with his two guards. He decided to return to the East City to wait for His Majesty's reply. Although being rejected hurt his dignity, Eddard did not value such vain fame. He was a practical man who was willing to handle problems peacefully. But this was actually the most difficult thing. The soldiers were full of anger, and warriors and generals were naturally warlike, relying on military merits to earn wealth and glory. They strongly disagreed with Eddard's approach.

*

Eleven days later.

A dragon's roar came from the sky above Volantis—Kyuu—

The dragon's roar pierced through time and space, echoing in the skies of the east and west cities. The sound was like the striking of gold and jade, reverberating in the sky, lingering for a long time.

Eddard Stark, the Hound, Smalljon, and other generals of the East City rushed out of the military camp. On the streets, the new freedmen, artisans, wealthy merchants and mercenaries from other places, sailors and captains… tens of thousands of people rushed out of their residences, looking up at the sky…

A huge golden-red dragon and a dazzling white dragon hovered in the sky. The giant dragon was Sheepstealer, with the Mountain sitting on its back; the white dragon was Viserion, with Arianne Martell on its back.

The soldiers and people of the East City erupted in deafening cheers…

In the West City, the walls were full of archers, all looking up at the sky, silent.

That was the legendary dragon, many times larger than the white dragon. Its wings, when spread, seemed to cover the entire West City.

The Elephant Party and Tiger Party nobles heard the dragon's roar and rushed out of their villas to look up, watching the arrogant giant dragon and white dragon in the sky. The nobles, like the soldiers on the walls, maintained a rare silence. This formed a sharp contrast with the cheers and shouts of the East City. The entire West City was full of people. Outside the military camp at the bridgehead were also full of soldiers. Everyone looked at the giant dragon, all silent. No one cheered, no one shouted, as if the giant dragon brought silence…

*

"Lord Eddard Stark, all warriors, fully armed, cross the long bridge and enter the West City to accept the surrender."

The Mountain's voice was like thunder. His dragon hovered above the long bridge, and people on both sides of the city could see him and hear him speak. His shout sounded like the striking of a giant bell, melodious and far-reaching.

Eddard Stark and the generals responded with a roar. Various horns, orders, footsteps, and horse neighs sounded together.

In the West City, the Elephant Party and Tiger Party nobles heard these words. They had written letters of complaint to the King, but the King seemed not to have received their letters, directly letting those despicable fellows from the East City come to accept the surrender. The Elephant Party and Tiger Party nobles looked at each other. They had hoped to receive a fair reply, but the King had arrived without any reply.

Tiger Party leader Joffrey could not restrain himself and ran to the top of the main building, shouting towards the sky, "Your Majesty, a fellow named Sandor Clegane killed my child. Please, Your Majesty, uphold justice in this matter!"

"Lord Joffrey, the one who killed your child is my own brother. He is proud and arrogant. To prevent his comrades from being harmed by your tiger, he killed your tiger. There is nothing wrong with that. I will not let him apologize to you. To compensate for your loss, I will compensate you with a dragon."

"A dragon?!"

"Yes. My giant dragon has hatched three small dragons, which have now grown large enough to fly. The names of the three dragons are Knight, Lady, and Tiamat. I will give the dragon named Tiamat to you as compensation for your child. What do you think of this?"

Joffrey was incredulous, his heart pounding violently. He knelt on one knee with a thud: "Your Majesty, Joffrey swears allegiance to you in the name of the gods of the sky, the earth, and the sea. Joffrey and his family will never betray Your Majesty."

"Remember your oath, Joffrey!"

"Forever engraved, passed down through generations."

In the West City, the soldiers and nobles in the military camp cheered.

His Majesty compensated Joffrey's tiger with a dragon, which stirred the hearts of the nobles. His Majesty respected them very much, without a doubt. Using a dragon to win their favor greatly exceeded their expectations. The people and soldiers of the Elephant Party and Tiger Party shouted, their swords clashing against their shields, booming loudly.

The West City was boiling!

In the East City, the originally boiling East City became quiet.

Eddard Stark, the Hound, Earl Smalljon, and other generals could not believe what they had heard.

Dragons, supreme magical creatures.

Priceless treasures!

Just like that, given to a slave owner in Volantis?

Wouldn't those guys become even more arrogant?!

That guy injured almost all the generals here, shot and killed dozens of soldiers, not only was he not severely punished, but he actually got a dragon from His Majesty because of it?

The Hound's ugly face twitched fiercely.

The generals and knights of the North collectively fell silent, their emotions dimmed.

The Clegane soldiers widened their eyes, unwilling to believe that these were the words spoken by His Majesty.

Was the King still the beloved, arrogant, ruthless hero they adored?

A mere small slave owner, just kill him if he doesn't obey, why give him a dragon instead? That hateful guy deliberately used a tiger to disturb the surrender commander and generals, which was already a great offense.

Eddard Stark also believed that he had done nothing wrong!

For the sake of the big picture, he suppressed the generals' plans to attack the city, but he never expected such a result. Just opening the warships to the Lorne River in the West City would blow open the gates of the West City, blow down the city walls, and then the army would enter the city and slaughter the other side into a rout.—But he chose to endure.

The tens of thousands of people in the East City who were full of expectations also found it hard to believe.

The damned slave owner in the West City, that evil figure with blood on his hands, actually got a dragon for having a man-eating tiger killed. They looked up at the sky, unwilling to believe that the King who liberated them and gave them freedom valued those bloody people in the opposite city so much. Those so-called nobles were all grown up eating their blood, all earning huge wealth by enslaving their lives.

Those guys had all committed capital crimes!

But the King still rewarded the Tiger Party executioner Joffrey with a dragon.

The people could not believe what they had heard, and they instinctively believed that things would turn around.

They firmly believed in Daenerys! Daenerys was the liberator of slaves, the breaker of chains, the angel of freedom, and the King she submitted to would definitely not be wrong.

Like the confusion in the hearts of the people, Eddard looked at the Hound: "Lord Hound, what do you think of the King's words?"

The Hound glared at Eddard Stark, said nothing, got on his unicorn, and drew his longsword: "Kasgast warriors."

Five hundred Kasgast warriors drew their swords together, raising them, like a forest of swords.

"Follow me, go to the West City, if that Tiger Party guy is still arrogant, kill him and his people."

"Hoh!" Five hundred Kasgast warriors roared together.

The sound of hooves rang out, the Hound took the lead, followed by five hundred warriors from the Kasgast Islands.

Eddard also got on his horse. He ordered the messenger beside him to sound the horn. All the soldiers were to form a line, move out of the city at a steady pace, and head towards the long bridge.

*

The Hound's unicorn was the fastest. He came to the west bridgehead alone. The caltrops at the west bridgehead had been removed, and a wide wooden bridge had been built over the two-meter-wide trench. As soon as he appeared at the bridgehead, the soldiers of the Tiger Party and Elephant Party bowed to him together: "Volantis welcomes the arrival of the general."

His Majesty had said in the sky that the villain who killed the tiger was his own brother. The attitude of the soldiers of the Elephant Party and Tiger Party changed greatly, and they were respectful to the Hound. His Majesty was invincible, and his own brother was also a fierce general who could kill Joffrey's tiger.

The Hound's dog helmet was on his head, without the mask lowered. His terrifying left face made the soldiers of the Elephant Party and Tiger Party feel fear.

The Hound walked across the bridgehead alone, walked across the wooden bridge, and stepped onto the main road of the West City. The front city gate was wide open, and generals and nobles stood at the city gate, humble in attitude, to welcome the surrender of the generals.

It was just that these people did not expect that only one person would come: Sandor Clegane, the King's brother, the giant who killed Joffrey's tiger on the long bridge.

The Hound's expression was unkind, and the unicorn advanced slowly. The nobles of the Elephant Party and Tiger Party stepped forward together, speaking in unison, bowing in respect: "Volantis welcomes the arrival of the general."

His unicorn made the surrounding warhorses uneasily stamp their feet, wanting only to break free and escape. And his face made many nobles feel uncomfortable in their hearts. Some noblewomen and ladies who came to welcome the generals turned their heads away, not daring to look at that terrifying face.

"Where is Joffrey?" the Hound said coldly.

"Lord Joffrey and the Archon are in the Archon's Hall to welcome His Majesty."

"Oh, what is the name of your Archon?"

"Josua, General."

"Josua and Joffrey are the most cruel, ruthless, bloody, dark, ignorant, and despicable people I have ever heard of. Tens of thousands of people in the opposite East City hope that they can be sentenced to hanging."

The welcoming team originally had smiles on everyone's faces, everyone with a fake smile, and their mouths were full of flattery, but no one expected that the King's brother would utter dirty words and openly threaten them.

Everyone was stunned at that moment.

The atmosphere suddenly stiffened. A Tiger Party general put his hand on his sword hilt, and a cold light flashed in the eyes of an Elephant Party noble.

The Hound looked at a general with his hand on his sword hilt: "What is your name, dare to openly put your hand on your sword hilt to threaten a surrender general, are you tired of living?"

The general's face flushed red immediately, and blue veins popped out on the hand holding the sword hilt.

"Hehe, draw your sword, General, let me see your swordsmanship." The Hound did not put his hand on his sword. He only needed to clamp his legs to let the unicorn pierce through the opponent on its horn before the opponent could stab out his sword. The unicorn's speed of starting, in a short distance, is faster than an arrow. No one can evade the unicorn's sudden attack at such a close distance.

Several nobles reached out and pressed the general's hand: "General, he is deliberately trying to anger you." An Elephant Party noble said in a low voice in the local Volantene language.

Even if the Volantene local language was not whispered, the Hound would not understand it at all.

A noblewoman said, "General, he's the King's own brother. He must resent the King's reward of a dragon to Jeff. He's deliberately provoking us. Be calm."

The dense sound of horses' hooves echoed at the bridgehead as the five hundred Kasgesh warriors under the Hound's banner arrived.